Fast bowler David Saker has capped a memorable season by being namedTasmania’s Player of the Year at a glittering award ceremony in Hobarttonight

John Polack05-Apr-2002Fast bowler David Saker has capped a memorable season by being namedTasmania’s Player of the Year at a glittering award ceremony in Hobarttonight.The former Victorian paceman beat off a strong field of contenders headed bywicketkeeper-batsman Sean Clingeleffer, batsman Michael Dighton, and fellownew ball bowlers Shane Jurgensen and Damien Wright, to clinch his firstmajor award in his two-year association with Tasmania.One of the Tigers’ most open award counts in years was sealed by Saker’sreturn of 22 wickets in the space of four matches in the middle stages ofthe Pura Cup season. The 35-year-old claimed a haul of five wickets in aninnings only once but, in an effort that embodied outstanding consistency,ended with 38 first-class wickets in total for the summer at the impressiveaverage of 26.39. He garnered a further 11 scalps at one-day level.Saker is almost certain to be granted an extension on his contract with theTigers in the wake of tonight’s result.Along with Jurgensen, the right arm fast bowler also shared top billing asthe state’s Pura Cup Player of the Season. The pair dominated on Tasmania’sfirst-class wicket-taking lists this season, dividing 74 scalps betweenthemselves in the course of their respective campaigns. Jurgensen’s seasonwas highlighted by successive 11-wicket match hauls in the final two games,the second handing him the best-ever individual figures in the 20-yearhistory of first-class finals matches in Australia.Wright was meanwhile a runaway winner of the ING Cup Player of the Seasontitle after a summer in which he again showcased his qualities as one of thecountry’s finest limited-overs cricketers. The 26-year-old also claimed themantle as the state’s top all-rounder of the season after matching hiswicket-taking skills with consistent run-scoring productivity in Tasmania’slower order.Left arm spinner Xavier Doherty was named Young Player of the Year; Dightonwon the Captain’s Award; and Jurgensen the Chairman’s Award. Captain JamieCox won the Batting Aggregate prize and Clingeleffer the Batting Averageaward, while Saker and Jurgensen respectively claimed the Bowling Aggregateand Bowling Average trophies.Tasmania’s on-field performances for the season were headlined by abarnstorming post-Christmas run that saw the team seize a staggering 26points from its closing five Pura Cup roster games and enabled it to surgeinto a place in the competition decider against Queensland.The Tigers’ one-day form was not as compelling, however. A controversiallast-round defeat against fellow struggler Victoria ensured that they endedthe summer in last place on the ING Cup ladder with only one-and-a-halfvictories from their ten limited-overs appearances.